Staff

Patti Whitney-Wise, Executive Director

Email, (503) 595-5501, Ext. 302

When it comes to ending hunger, Patti Whitney-Wise is one of the nation’s most effective activists. Her creative approaches and innovative leadership of the Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force helped Oregon become the only state in the country to reduce hunger, as measured in the 2005 USDA report. She has won multiple awards for her 30 years of work ranging from multi-state outreach for the Children’s Rights Group on all federal food programs to addressing a broad range of poverty issues as the Executive Director for the California Council of Churches.

Jessica Chanay, Deputy Director

Email, (503) 595-5501, Ext. 305

Jessica is the Deputy Director and guides program planning and public relations for Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon. She was previously the Assistant Director/Director of Programs and Services at FOOD for Lane County, a nonprofit food bank. She holds a Masters degree in Community and Regional Planning from the University of Oregon, with an emphasis on food systems planning and community food security. In 2005, Jessica was awarded the Oregon Food Bank Ron Cease award for excellence in leadership, service and dedication to the mission of addressing hunger and its root causes.

Annie Kirschner, Development Director

Email, (503) 595-5501, ext. 309

Annie helps connect donors to our mission. Previously she oversaw our childhood hunger efforts, managing statewide outreach for the Summer Food Program and After School Meal and Snack Program, building partnerships and increasing participation. Annie came to the Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force as an AmeriCorps VISTA for a year, before joining the staff of Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon in 2006.   She holds a Bachelors degree in Creative Writing and previously worked with a teen anti-drug media project and tought ESL to recent refugees.

Shauna Petchel, Operations Director

Email, (503) 595-5501, ext. 300

Shauna joined Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon in 2006 and manages internal operations and finances. Shauna holds a Masters in Public Health from Portland State University, with an emphasis in policy and management, and studied nutrition science at the University of Nevada. She worked previously in dental and nutrition programs, and has also volunteered extensively in services for survivors of domestic violence and nutrition education to children and seniors.

Marianne Germond, Executive Assistant

Email, (503) 595-5501 ext. 306

Marianne provides administrative support to PHFO staff, including; maintaining office records and databases; assisting with research, special projects, and clerical needs of ongoing projects; handling outside requests for information and outreach materials; maintaining office supplies and equipment; and assisting with meeting and event preparation. Before joining PHFO, Marianne provided contract research and writing services, and previously worked for Community Action Program of East Central Oregon in the community services department. Marianne graduated from Grinnell College and has volunteered in schools and with the League of Women Voters of Oregon.

Robyn Johnson, Public Policy Manager

Email, (503) 595-5501, Ext. 303

Robyn joined Partners in 2008 to help expand the work of the Child Nutrition team on the Summer Food Program, as well as launching and managing our County Data Project. She is currently a part of the Advocacy Team working to expand anti-hunger advocacy throughout Oregon as the Public Policy Manager, and leads our advocacy efforts on the federal level. Prior to her work with Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon, Robyn worked as a conservator for arts on paper, a kindergarten teacher, a wedding cake baker and at 211info, helping to connect Oregonians with emergency and support services.

Rose Walker, Manager, Child Hunger Prevention - Rural Oregon

Email, (503) 595-5501 ext. 324

Rose joined the Child Hunger Prevention Team at PHFO in 2011. Based in Salem, she works with providers across the state to help expand access to the Summer and Afterschool Meal and Snack Programs for children. Before working at PHFO, Rose helped to expand access to these programs in Marion and Polk Counties as the Program Coordinator for Marion-Polk Food Share, taught ESL to low-income families, and provided administrative support to the Oregon Afterschool for Kids state network.

Lesley Nelson, Manager, Child Hunger Prevention - Portland Metro

Email, (503) 595-5501, ext. 307

Lesley currently works with the Child Nutrition team. She has served as an AmeriCorps VISTA with Portland State University in diversity outreach and is excited to bring her growing knowledge of the Oregon nonprofit community to her new position. She graduated from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin with a Masters in Public Affairs, and spent 2 years as a policy analyst for the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. She brings an engaged curiosity about the way hunger programs and policies are managed throughout Oregon, and is delighted to be exploring her new home city.

Nancy Weed, SNAP Outreach Manager

Email, (503) 595-5501, ext. 308

Nancy has coordinated PHFO's successful SNAP outreach project since 2000. Coming to PHFO with a Masters degree in Social Work and a strong background in community organizing, Nancy considers her former client perspectives as a powerful additional asset for her ongoing client advocacy work. Her outreach work for PHFO includes: identification of barriers to participation through focus groups with low-income persons and service providers, participation in regular collaborative meetings with state and local agencies to resolve ongoing barrier issues, facilitation of outreach steering committee network meetings, development and distribution of outreach materials, community presentations and training, and one-to-one client advocacy.

Katie Furia, Americorps Vista

Email, (503) 595-5501 ext. 310

Katie is serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA with the National Anti-Hunger and Opportunity Corps, sponsored by New York City Coalition Against Hunger (NYCCAH). She works with the SNAP and Child Hunger Prevention teams to increase awareness of available nutrition programs, develop a volunteer recruitment process, and to evaluate community and partner engagement strategies. Katie earned a BS in Nutrition and Dietetics from Messiah College, and worked as a nutritionist for the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program in both Pennsylvania and Virginia. She is excited to be working with others in Oregon, and across the US, that share the same commitment to end hunger.